China and Gabon on Thursday agreed to enhance alignment of development strategies and jointly explore new opportunities for cooperation.

During a meeting with President of the Republic of Gabon Ali Bongo Ondimba in Beijing, Premier Li Keqiang said Gabon is an important cooperative partner of China in central Africa, and China is ready to work with Gabon to transform economic complementary advantages into results.

China is willing to deepen cooperation with Gabon in the areas of resource development, infrastructure construction, agriculture, forestry, fisheries and further processing according to market rules, he said.

Li said China-designed passenger aircraft can meet the needs of African countries and help develop the regional aviation network due to its safety and cost-effectiveness.

He said he hopes China and Gabon can discuss the possibility of cooperation in this regard.

Bongo said Gabon is ready to deepen cooperation with China in infrastructure development, agriculture, forestry, mining, further processing of products and civil aviation.

He welcomed Chinese enterprises to invest in Gabon to jointly explore new opportunities for development.

Zhang Dejiang, chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), also met with Bongo on Thursday.

Invited by Chinese President Xi Jinping, Bongo is paying a state visit to China from Tuesday to Friday. It is Bongo's first state visit to a foreign country since he was re-elected as Gabon's president in August.

On Wednesday Xi and Bongo agreed to lift China-Gabon relations to a comprehensive cooperative partnership in a bid to better realize common development.